Packaging apparatus



7 Dec. 30, 1969 o. a. RUPPEL ET AL 3,487,421

PACKAGING ArAnATus Filed April 1968 V s Sheets-Sheet 1 37 E Q J Tm U F IG. 2- 3O] INVENTORS BYW Q AT TX.

I Dec. 30. 1969 o. a, RUPPEL ET AL PACKAGING APPARATUS nm S m i 2 \W m Q mm v MUM cm Mm W 0 R my mm 3 mm m B 9? 3 mm ATT Y.

Dec. 30, 1969 D. B. RUF'PEL ET AL 3,487,421

PACKAGING APPARATUS Filed April 2, 1968 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F IG. 4

0 E 100 L I 99 $9 73 74 75 75 76 7X 77 8O o I 8/ i I Y FIG. 5

FIG. 6

f M INVENTORS DONALD B-RUPPEL NORMAN E. REINHAIRT ATT Y.

United States Patent 3,487,421 PACKAGING APPARATUS Donald B. Ruppel and Norman E. Reinhart, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, assignors to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York. N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 2, 1968, Ser. No. 718,150 Int. Cl. B6513 57/00, 1/20, 63/00 US. C]. 5359 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus for packing continuous strip material into cartons wherein a cross slide is reciproeably movably mounted on a carriage with the carriage movably mounted on a support for reciprocation back and forth in a direction normal to the reciproeable movement of the cross slide. The carriage and the cross slide are powered by separate variable two-speed motors such -as to reciprocate the carriage at a slow speed while reciprocating the cross slide at fast speeds followed by reciprocation of the carriage at high speeds while reciprocating the cross slide at a slow speed, whereby a plurality of spaced guide means on the cross slide directs the strip material into separate cartons evenly and at a predetermined pattern. The carriage and cross slide movements are cycled alternately at fast and slow speeds to give precise quantities of material in such cartons. A vibrator is used to settle the material as the carton is packed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to packing of strip material and more particularly to an apparatus for packaging strip material into boxes to assure uniform weight and distribution of material.

In the manufacturing of products from elastomeric material, it has been the practice to calender the stock since it required considerable working to condition it for processing; however, with the widespread and successful use of the extruder or tubers to process small batches of material by small manufacturers it has become desirable to have elastomeric strip stock packed in relatively small quantities. In the manufacturing of such strip material or stock, the continuous length of narrow width stock would be manually fed by a packer into a carton or packing box; however, it is difiicult to pack such abox uniformly since the variables of human operation cannot assure a specified quantity since in the packing process the operator is pressed for time in feeding, and directing the stock into the box or boxes. This is particularly evident where a single operator handles at least two cartons at a time. Due to the speed of attempting to fill the box, void, overlapping and random filling occurs which gives uneven result in quantity in a given size container. As an example of this, in packing a lOOO-pound box, i.e., wherein it is desired to achieve IOOO-pound quantities, it has been found that the quantity varies from 500 pounds to well over 1300 pounds while the 300-pound quantity varies from 180- to over 340-pound quantities.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of this invention is to provide an apparatus which automatically feeds and packs a strip material as a continuous ribbon into a packing box to obtain a precise quantity and in such a manner that the box is compactly packed so that the material is uniformly distributed therein to facilitate ease of removal therefrom. Through the use of such apparatus, there is more uniform loading and considerably less labor costs coupled with the ability to pack several boxes simultaneously thereby achieving considerable economies.

The present invention contemplates the use of a feeding device which feeds alternately the stock rapidly in a first longitudinal reciprocal direction while being moved laterally at a slow rate followed by feeding the stock rapidly in the lateral reciprocal direction while slowly moving the stock in the longitudinal direction thereby building up layer upon layer in criss-crossing patterns.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the conveying means.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the invention showing the conveying means and cartons on a transfer conveyor.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the invention with cartons on the transfer conveyor.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the cross slide drive means.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the carriage drive means.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of guide means mounted on the cross slide.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 a packaging apparatus 10, a vibrating means and an overhead conveying device 12. Conveying device 12 comprises a rectangular-shaped support frame 14 (FIGURE 1) made of suitable channel iron including a pair of spaced longitudinally extending channel irons 15 and 16 suitably supported. Support frame 14 has journalled on one end thereof a driven roller 17 and journalled intermediate of the end portions thereof a plurality of spaced rollers 18, 19, 20 and 21. Trailed between the driven roller 17 and the respective rollers 18 through 21 are endless conveyor belts 22, 23, 24 and 25 which are adapted to receive, from a suitable feed transfer conveyor not shown, endless strips of material 26, 27, 28 and 29 for conveyance to the packing apparatus 10 to be described.

The vibrating means comprises a base frame 30 having mounted thereon a pair of support frames 31 and 32 (FIGURE 2). The support frames 31 and 32 are identical in construction and therefore only one of such support frames will be described with reference numerals thereof being identical to the other support frame. Support frame 32 (FIGURES 2 and 3) has a plurality of spaced parallel braces 33, 34 and 35 which journal a plurality of parallel spaced idler rollers 36 therebetween. Support frames 31 and 32 are resiliently mounted on the base frame 30 via springs 37 journalled in sockets 38. The springs 37 encircle downwardly extending pins, not shown, to maintain alignment between each spring 37 and the associated pin to assure the free unrestricted vibration of the support frame 31 relative to the fixed base 30. Vibrating means in the form of motor vibrators 39 are mounted on the support frames 31 and 32 which are operative to vibrate support frames 31 and 32 in a manner well known and understood in the art. Positioned on support frames 31 are cartons 40 and 41 and positioned on support frames 32 are cartons 42 and 43. Such vibrator motors are available on the open market and one such manufacturer is Vibco, PO. Box 274, Lodi, NJ. As seen in FIGURE 3, the support frames 31 and 32 are located between a forwardly disposed take-away conveyor unit 45 and a load or feed conveyor 46 whose rollers are substantially in alignment with the idler rollers 36 to facilitate the movement of packing boxes therebetween.

Packaging apparatus (FIGURE 3) comprises a support frame having horizontally extending guide rails and 51 with suitable cross braces therebetween includ ing brackets 52 (FIGURE 3), 53 (FIGURE 2) and suitable stanchions. A rectangular frame carriage 55 having longitudinally extending beams 56, 57 and laterally extending beams 58, 59 is mounted for rectilinear movement on the guide rails 50, 51 with the rollers 60 and 61 engaging such guide rails. Laterally extending cross beam 58 has a pair of brackets 63 and 64 joined at their one end by a cross brace 65 which has mounted thereon a nut 66 which is threadedly engaged by a lead screw 68. Lead screw 68 has one end journalled on the cross brace 52 and the other end journalled on a cross brace that extends between rails 50 and 51 whereby rotation of the lead screw 68 operates to reciprocate carriage 55 depending on the direction of rotation of the lead screw 68. Mounted on cross brace 53 (FIGURE 2) is a variable two-speed motor Ml having a pair of output shafts 70 and 71 (FIGURE 5) connected to pulleys 73 and 74 respectively which are connected via belts 75 to pulleys 76 and 77 respectively of a transmission means indicated generally as 78. Transmission means 78 receives its input either via pulley 76 or pulley 77 to provide an output to a pulley 79. Transmission means 78 has a pair of spaced clutch means and 81 which are selectively operable to connect either pulley 76 or pulley 77 to the drive means to provide an output to the pulley 79. The direction of rotation of pulley 79 is dependent upon whether clutch 80 or 81 is energized. The output of pulley 79 is connected by a pulley belt 82 to a pulley 83 which is keyed to the lead screw 68. Energization of clutch means 80 rotates lead screw in a first direction which moves carriage 55 rightwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3 whereas energization of clutch means 81 rotates lead screw 68 in an opposite direction whereby carriage 55 is moved leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3. The output of motor M-l is selectively operable at high or low speeds for a purpose to be described, by suitable limit switches. Mounted on cross braces 58 and 59 of carriage 55 is a cross slide 84 which has double pairs of rollers 85 to maintain such cross slide in engagement with the carriage 55. Cross slide 84 has a pair of spaced nuts 8686 threadedly engaged by lead screws 87-87 suitably journalled on the carriage 55. Mounted on carriage 55 is a variable two-speed motor M2 (FIGURE 4) having a pair of output shafts connected to spaced pulleys 88 and 89 respectively which are connected via belts 90 to pulleys 91 and 92 respectively of a transmission means indicated generally as 93. Transmission means 93 receives its input either via pulley 91 or 92 to provide an output to a pulley 95. Transmission means 93 has a pair of spaced clutches 96 and 97 which are selectively operable to connect either pulley 91 or 92 to provide an output to pulley 95. Pulley is connected via belt 98 to a pair of spaced pulleys 99--99 which are suitably keyed to the respective lead screws 8787 whereby rotation of pulley 95 operates to rotate the pulleys 99-99 and their respective lead screws 8787 in the same direction which in turn moves cross slide 84 in a linear direction. Motor M2 is operable selectively at low or high speeds by suitable limit switches in a manner to be described. A plurality of guide means 100 are mounted on the cross slide 84, however, only one will be described wherein the reference numerals will be applicable to such other guide means. Such guide means 100 includes a motor M-3 which drives through transmission means 102 a roller 103. Roller 103 cooperates with an idler roller 104 to pull strip material from the overhead conveying device 12 and directing such strip material into a carton 40 directly beneath. Mounted above rollers 103 and 104 are a pair of spaced rollers 105 and 106 to aid in the guiding movement thereof. The axes of rollers 103 and 104 lie in a plane that is parallel to a plane containing an axes of rollers 105 and 106; however, the axes 4. of rollers 103 and 104 are perpendicular to the axes of rollers 105 and 106. As shown in FIGURE 3, the four cartons indicated as 40, 41, 42 and 43 are located beneath the respective guide means 100 containing motors M3 and the transmission means 102 to receive the strip material for packaging therein.

In the operation of the apparatus described, assume that the carriage 55 is approaching the left-hand portion of the frame as viewed in FIGURE 3 and similar to that shown in FIGURE 3 with the cross-slide 84 approaching the lowermost position, also as shown in FIGURE 3. It is further assumed that the cross-slide 84 is moving downwardly at a rapid speed and that the carriage 55 is moving leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3 at a slow speed. Limit switches LS-Z, LS4, LS6 and LSS are mounted on the beam 59 and are adapted to be engaged by an arm 110 secured to cross-slide 84 to control the transverse movement of the cross-slide. Limit switches 1.8-4 and LS8 control the cross-slide transverse movement in the fast speed while limit switches LSZ and LS-6 control the cross-slide transverse movement in the slow speed. Limit switches LS4 and LS8 are overridden when the Cr0sS-Slide is moving in the slow speed while limit switches LSZ and LS6 are overridden when the cross-slide is moving at the fast speed. An arm 112 on bracket 64 of carriage 55 is adapted to engage and close limit switches LS-l, LS3, LSS, LS7 mounted on the left-hand portion of the support frame diagrammatically shown in FIGURE 3. As the carriage 55 is moving slowly leftwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3, arm I12 closes limit switch LS-l which operates to de-energize clutch 81 and stops the leftward movement of carriage 55. In order for the carriage to move rightwardly, both limit switches LS1 and L-S- must be closed. When the cross-slide 84 hits limit switch LS4 no action is taken because the carriage which is now stopped has closed limit switch LS1 and therefore before any reverse movement of the carriage occurs, cross-slide 84 must also close limit switch LS-6. Upon closing of limit switches LS-l and LS6, the control circuit is actuated to change the speed of the respective motors M1 and M2 by suitable potentiometers such that the carriage 55 is conditioned for fast travel in a rightwardly direction as viewed in FIGURE 3 while cross-slide 84 is conditioned for slow travel in an upwardly direction. Carriage 55 is moved rapidly back and forth through the actuation of limit switches LS7 and LS-3 while the cross-slide is moving slowly in an upward direction until limit switch LS2 is actuated which reverses the direction of the movement of the cross-slide through actuation of clutch 92 which reverses the direction of rotation of pulley 95 and belt 98. Limit switch LSS is overridden during the upward movement of the cross-slide.

In the rightward movement of the carriage 55 as arm 112 hits limit switch LS7, limit switch LS7 is overridden until limit switch LS-3 is hit and stops the carriage movement. After a suitable time delay the movement of carriage 55 is reversed by energization of clutch 81 which imparts rotation to lead screw 68 to move carriage 55 in a leftward direction as viewed in FIGURE 3. As the cross-slide 84 approaches the lowermost position, arm 110 closes limit switch LS-6 and through suitable relay means stops the cross-slide movement. The rapid movement of carriage 55 is unaffected by the closing of limit switch LSS until limit switch LS-l is closed such that upon closing of limit switches LSl and LS6 the longitudinal movement of the carriage is stopped and the respective motors M1 and M2 are changed in their speed and direction, such that the cross-slide is conditioned to move at a fast reciprocating motion while the carriage 55 is conditioned for a slow movement in a longitudinal direction. Under these conditions of operation, carriage 55 is now moving rightwardly at a slow speed while cross-slide 84 is reciprocating rapidly in a transverse direction performing the winding operation of a strip of material into the box or carton. Through such operation as described, the strip material is laid evenly back and forth in a longitudinal direction and thence back and forth in a transverse direction which is opposite to that initially stated to provide an even depositing of the material. This action of changing the rapid and slow speeds of the carriage 55 and cross-slide 84 provides support for the material, even distribution and uniform quantity as such strip material is laid evenly in the cartons. The even distribution is further assured by the continual vibration of the cartons that are supported on the rollers 36 on the support frames 31 and 32 by the motors 39.

Those skilled in the art may readily provide suitable circuit controls for the limit switches for effecting operation of the clutches, relays and motors; therefore, no such control circuit has been illustrated. These controls and control circuits are within the realm of selection of the skilled mechanic and no invention is seen in showing any of the various forms thereof which may be employed to accomplish the desired actuation of the various elements in the proper sequence and in the desired time relation.

Obvoiusly, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material into cartons comprising support means, a carrier means movably mounted on said support means for movement thereon, guide means mounted on said carrier means for movement therewith for directing a continuous strip of material into a carton located below said carrier means, drive means operatively interconnecting said carrier means and said support means for moving said carrier means to impart a resultant movement to said guide means, said resultant movement having a first linear component in a first reciprocal direction at a high speed while simultaneously having a second component in a second linear reciprocal direction at low speed relative to said high speed wherein said second component is normal to said first linear direction, and means are operatively connected to said drive means and responsive to movement of said carrier means to control said high and low speeds and movements of said carrier means.

2. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material into cartons comprising support means; a carriage means movably mounted on said support means for reciprocal movement thereon in a first reciprocal direction; a cross slide movably mounted on said carriage for movement in a second reciprocal direction which second direction is normal to said first direction; guide means mounted on said cross slide for directing continuously strip material into boxes; carriage drive means for reciprocating said carriage; cross slide drive means for reciprocating said cross slide; and control means operatively connected to said carriage drive means and said cross slide drive means to cyclically control the reciprocation of said carriage and cross slide alternately in a first pair of preselected speeds and a second pair of preselected speeds.

3. An apparatus for packaging strip material as set forth in claim 2 wherein said first pair of speeds provides movement of said carriage at a slow speed and reciprocation of said cross slide at fast speeds, and with said second pair of speeds provides movement of said carriage at fast speeds and reciprocation of said cross slide at a slow speed.

4. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material as set forth in claim 3 wherein a loading platform is located below said carrier means operative to support cartons for receiving material directed thereto by said guide means, and vibrating means operatively connected to said loading platform to vibrate said platform for consolidating material fed into cartons located on said platform.

5. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material as set forth in claim 4 wherein said guide means includes driven roller means to facilitate the conveyance of strip material into said cartons positioned beneath said guide means.

6. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material as set forth in claim 4 wherein said guide means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced roller means with driven rollers to facilitate the conveyance of strip material into said cartons positioned beneath said guide means.

7. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material into cartons comprising support means; a carriage mounted on said support means for reciprocal movement thereon in a first reciprocal direction; a cross slide mounted on said carriage for movement in a second reciprocal direction which is normal to said first direction; guide means mounted on said cross slide for directing continuous strip material into boxes; first drive means operatively interconnecting said carriage and said support means for selectively reciprocating said carriage in said first direction at a first speed or a second speed; second drive means operatively interconnecting said cross slide and said carriage for selectively reciprocating said cross slide in said second direction at a third speed or a fourth speed; said first and third speeds being slow speeds relative to said second and fourth speeds which are fast speeds; and control means operatively connected to said first and second drive means for selectively actuating said drive means into repetitious alternating cycles of reciprocating said carriage at said first speed in cooperation with said cross slide at said fourth speed, followed by said carriage at said second speed in cooperation with said cross slide at said third speed.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said guide means comprises a plurality of laterally spaced guide rollers, and certain ones of said rollers being driven rollers.

9. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material into cartons comprising support means, a carriage mounted on said support means for reciprocal movement thereon, drive means connected to said carriage operative upon actuation for selectively moving said carriage at a first or a second speed wherein said first speed is fast relative to said second speed, a cross slide mounted on said carriage for reciprocal movement thereon, said movement of said cross slide relative to movement of said carriage being in a normal direction, cross slide drive means connected to said cross slide operative upon actuation for selectively moving said cross slide at a pair of speeds wherein one of said speeds is fast relative to the other of said speeds, control means for selectively con trolling the actuation of said carriage drive means and said cross slide drive means to reciprocate said carriage at a slow speed while reciprocating said cross slide at fast speeds followed by reciprocating said carriage at fast speeds in cooperation with a reciprocation of said cross slide at a slow speed.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said control means includes switch means selectively operable to actuate said carriage drive means and said cross slide drive means to move said carriage at said first speed and move said cross slide at said other speed, and other switch means cooperable with other first-mentioned switch means selectively operable to actuate said carriage drive means at said second speed and said one speed.

11. An apparatus for packaging continuous strip material into cartons comprising support means; a carriage means mounted on said support means for reciprocal movement thereon in a first reciprocal direction; a cross means for reciprocating said carriage; cross slide drive means for reciprocating said cross slide; and control means operatively connected to said carriage and said cross slide to cyclically control the reciprocation of said carriage and cross slide alternately in a first pair of matched speeds and a second pair of matched speeds wherein said first pair of matched speeds provides movement of said carriage at a slow speed and reciprocation of said cross slide at a fast speed, and with said second pair of matched speeds providing movement of said car- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1964 Great Britain.

7 WAYNE A. MORSE, JR., Primary Examiner 15 rlage at fast speeds and said cross slide at a slow speed. 53 21 116 126 US. Cl. X.R. 

